Not many people know the name Mika Pyorala. But they may want to learn.
On day one of Flyers’ training camp at the Skate Zone in Voorhees, N.J., Philadelphia coach John Stevens paired 28-year old Pyorala on a line with Scott Hartnell and Jeff Carter. With a healthy number of hopeful forwards looking to make an impression, no one expect the move to stick. But it did.
“They are very offensive guys that get a lot of points,” said Pyorala (PURE-ella), who will likely be matched up with the same line in the team’s first preseason game Wednesday in Detroit. “I know if I am going to play with them I have to try to balance the lines because I’m a defensive player.”
Coach John Stevens told the media this morning that he expects forwards Scott Hartnell and Claude Giroux to play tonight against the Florida Panthers, at the Wachovia Center at 7 p.m. Hartnell was sent home from practice yesterday with a serious case of pink eye and Giroux underwent tests to find a possible stomach ulcer. The tests were negative, but it did reveal he has some acid reflux issues and he will be fine.
During the 2007-08 Stanley Cup playoffs, uber Penguins’ fan Steven Mazefsky, like thousands of others, had a jersey customized. But unlike having Sidney Crosby or Evgeni Malkin sewn on the back, Mazefsky had a Flyers jersey customized. With hate in his heart and apparently extra money to spend, Mazefsky had the jersey embroidered with the number 19 and the name “Fartsmell” sewn on, in an attempt to mock Flyers’ forward Scott Hartnell.
Phila.Bright 